The University of Oregon's Historic Preservation Program is an interdisciplinary program within the School of Architecture and Allied Arts. The graduate program was established in 1980, and an undergraduate minor, open to any university major upon approval, was initiated in 1987. The courses, faculty and administration are interdepartmental. The Director of the Program and the administrative committee are appointed by the Dean.

Students gain an understanding of historic resources and the processes for their preservation through both theoretical and practical venues. This includes core classes in research methods, preservation history and theory, and the economic, legal and administrative processes of preservation.

Classes are augmented by fieldwork in the urban and rural areas of the region. Oregon contains Native American sites, buildings and landscapes developed by U.S. and European immigrant pioneers from the 1830s, as well as city development from the 1840s. Extensive instructional use of the region takes place through an emphasis on the cultural and technical aspects of vernacular studies, field trips, participation in the projects of university and local community groups, and involvement with the region's professionals, officials, and agencies concerned with historic resources. Recent hands-on opportunities include conditional assessments of the Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House in Eugene, OR and the Wilkins Ranch House at Point Reyes National Seashore, CA. Other opportunities have included restoration of the French Second Empire style Villard and Deady Halls, and a workshop on historic stained glass windows with expert craftsman, Dave Schlicker.

In addition to completion of courses and electives, each student is required to complete individualized study, including research, a summer internship, and a thesis or terminal project. These requirements, in combination with the chosen area of concentration, create flexibility within the program to allow the student to pursue individual interests. Former students have chosen to develop specialties in closely-related fields such as landscape architecture, material culture, social history, interior architecture and building technology, while others have created more unique combinations with studies in archaeology, community development, and cultural resources.

An unusual advantage of the Historic Preservation Program at the University of Oregon is its accessibility to the courses, faculty, and library resources of the seven other departments and program areas within the School of Architecture and Allied Arts. Among these are Architecture; Arts and Administration; Interior Architecture; Art History; Landscape Architecture; and Planning, Public Policy, and Management. The departments and programs represented have been nationally cited for their excellence. A student may choose to take additional coursework offered by these departments and programs, and may even consider pursuing concurrent master's degrees.

Many of the faculty directly involved in advising and in offering preservation courses are instructors from the programs and departments cited above. The Historic Preservation Program also utilizes a pool of adjunct faculty who are professionals in preservation-related fields. Advising and choice of courses relate to individual academic backgrounds, needs, and goals. In addition to the flexibility which encourages students to develop individualized programs, the program is characterized by students exhibiting self-motivation and individual initiative. These traits, which are not only expected of the student but are also necessary for successful completion of the program, contribute to the professional growth of students.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Kingston Heath, Director

or

Liz Carter, Interim Director (Fall 2009)

Historic Preservation Program
School of Architecture and Allied Arts
5233 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-5233

PH: 541-346-2115 FX: 541-346-3626 EMAIL: hpgtf@uoregon.edu